The 300 Best Quotes About Life That Will Actually Inspire You

For millennia, poets, speakers, authors, artists, filmmakers, and musicians have tried to capture the essence of life. From the blissful excitement of new love to the challenges of unexpected setbacks, something as simple as a quote can encapsulate profound truths about the human experience. 

Whether you’re looking for inspiration, motivation, comfort, or a good chuckle, these snippets of wisdom are perfect for jotting down in your journal or posting on social media. Here are 151 quotes about life that will make you pause and reflect. 

Do you believe that life quotes can positively impact a person’s mindset and outlook on life?

• Yes, life quotes can have a significant positive impact.
• They can be helpful, but their impact varies from person to person.
• No, I think their impact is limited.
• I’m not sure.

Best Quotes About Life

In her bestselling book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, palliative care nurse Bronnie Ware documents the biggest regrets of patients in the last 3 months of their lives. She found the most common themes were related to unfulfilled dreams, overworking, and wishing they’d spent more time with loved ones. 

Interestingly, these quotes from thought leaders of the past and present carry the same essence. They remind us to prioritize what matters most so we don’t regret our life’s decisions when we reach the end. 

1. “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.” —Dalai Lama
2. “Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them—that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward however they like.” —Lao Tzu.
3. “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” —Friedrich Nietzsche
4. “Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.” —Josh Billings
5. “The best gift anyone can give, I believe, is the gift of sharing themselves.” —Oprah
6. “The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.” —Oprah
7. “Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.” —Harvey Fierstein

8. “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” —Albert Einstein
9. “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” —Maya Angelou
10. “Nature loves courage. You commit, and nature will respond to that commitment by removing impossible obstacles. Dream the impossible dream, and the world will not grind you under; it will lift you. This is the trick. This is what all these teachers and philosophers who counted and touched the alchemical gold understood. This is the shamanic dance in the waterfall. This is how magic is done. By hurling yourself into the abyss and discovering it’s a feather bed.” —Terrence McKenna
11. “You must not ever stop being whimsical. And you must not, ever, give anyone else the responsibility for your life.” ―Mary Oliver
12. “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” —Nelson Mandela
13. “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” —Confucius
14. “Nothing in life is to be feared, only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” —Marie Curie
15. “You have succeeded in life when all you want is only what you need.” —Vernon Howard
16. “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” —Henry David Thoreau
17. “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” —Socrates
18. “We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” —E. M. Forster
19. “Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it.” —Ernest Holmes
20. “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” —Martin Luther King, Jr.
21. “Throughout life, people will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you bad. Let God deal with the things they do, cause hate in your heart will consume you too.” —Will Smith
22. “If life were predictable, it would cease to be life and be without flavor.” —Eleanor Roosevelt
23. “Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough.” —Emily Dickinson
24. “All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.” —Havelock Ellis
25. “When I hear somebody sigh, ‘Life is hard,’ I am always tempted to ask, ‘Compared to what?’” —Sydney J. Harris
26. “To me, if life boils down to one thing, it’s movement. To live is to keep moving.” —Jerry Seinfeld
27. “The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.” —Henry Miller
28. “If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.” —Bruce Lee
29. “People skills are the social lubricant of life.” —Vanessa Van Edwards

Famous Quotes About Life

Call them cliche or honor their glory. These quotes have been repeated for decades yet still hold true. 

30. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” —Walt Disney
31. “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” —John Lennon
32. “If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.” —Albert Einstein
33. “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” —Babe Ruth
34.  “Money and success don’t change people; they merely amplify what is already there.” —Will Smith
35. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma—which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.” —Steve Jobs
36. “The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what is one’s destiny to do, and then do it.” —Henry Ford
37. “Learn as if you will live forever, live like you will die tomorrow.” —Mahatma Gandhi
38. “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” —Thomas Edison

39. “Tell me, and I forget. Teach me, and I remember. Involve me, and I learn.” —Benjamin Franklin
40. “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” —Robert Louis Stevenson
41. “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.” —Henry David Thoreau

Positive Quotes About Life

Did you know that a positive attitude links to higher wages^{1https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016748700900097X} and greater happiness? Maintaining a positive outlook doesn’t require constant optimism or toxic positivity. Instead, these quotes reflect on ways to incorporate positivity into your daily life. 

42. “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” —Maya Angelou 
43. “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.” —Winston Churchill
44. “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” —Mahatma Gandhi
45. “Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.” —Lou Holtz
46. “Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.”―Roy T. Bennett
47. “You are where you are in life because of what you believe is possible for yourself.” —Oprah
48. “The best of times is now.” —Oprah
49. “I have found that if you love life, life will love you back.” —Arthur Rubinstein
50. “You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.” —Walter Hagen

Motivational Quotes About Life

The secret to success isn’t linked to your IQ, background, or even the people you know. According to these quotes, some of the most successful people in history seem to agree becoming successful is more about overcoming defeats and discouragement, practicing discipline, and putting in the hard work.

51. “There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.” —Aldous Huxley 
52. “Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don’t fight them. Just find a new way to stand.” —Oprah
53. “When you undervalue what you do, the world will undervalue who you are.” —Oprah
54. “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” —Winston S. Churchill
55. “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” —Confucius 
56. “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” —Arthur Ashe 
57. “Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get.” ―W. P. Kinsella
58. “Either you run the day or the day runs you.” —Jim Rohn
59.  “Don’t settle for what life gives you; make life better and build something.” —Ashton Kutcher

60. Faith is risking it all on something unseen. Most people say, “I’ll believe it when I see it,” but the truth of the matter is that you’ll see it when you believe it. —David DeNotaris
61. “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” —Thomas A. Edison
62. “When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.” —Elon Musk
63. “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” —Charles R. Swindoll
64. “Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” —Lao Tzu
65. “If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.” —H. G. Wells
66. “Change your life today. Don’t gamble on the future, act now, without delay.” —Simone de Beauvoir
67. “The only thing that’s keeping you from getting what you want is the story you keep telling yourself.” —Tony Robbins
68. “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” —Steve Jobs
69. “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” —Unknokwn
70. “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” —Franklin D. Roosevelt
71. “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” —Theodore Roosevelt
72. “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” —Jimmy Dean
73. “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” —Zig Ziglar
74. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” —Wayne Gretzky
75. “I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” —Stephen Covey
76. “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” —Henry Ford
77. “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” —Alice Walker
78. “The best revenge is massive success.” —Frank Sinatra
79. “Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” —Steve Jobs
80. “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear.” —Rosa Parks
81. “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
82. “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
83. “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” —Abraham Lincoln
84. “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” —C.S. Lewis
85. “The mind is everything. What you think you become.” —Buddha
86. “An unexamined life is not worth living.” —Socrates
87. “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.” —Steve Jobs
88. “The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.” —Unknown
89. “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” —George Addair
90. “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” —Albert Einstein
91. “It is never too late to be what you might have been.” —George Eliot
92. “I was smart enough to go through any door that opened.” —Joan Rivers
93. “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” —Eleanor Roosevelt
94. “Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” —Mother Teresa
95. “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.” —Amelia Earhart
96. “You can never leave footprints that last if you are always walking on tiptoe.” —Leymah Gbowee
97. “The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” —Ayn Rand
98. “Step out of the history that is holding you back. Step into the new story you are willing to create.” —Oprah Winfrey
99. “If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” —Dolly Parton
100. “I choose to make the rest of my life the best of my life.” —Louise Hay

Motivational quotes like these can certainly help give you that extra boost you need. If you want more tools to find success, you might enjoy this free training that uses science-backed techniques to help you set the right goals.

Deep Quotes About Life

Finding the purpose of our lives and creating your version of a successful life is a highly personalized journey. Often, it requires digging more profound than the materialism or trivial pursuits we often see portrayed in the media. These quotes can help you dive below the surface to contemplate life’s deeper truths through the perspectives of famous thought leaders. 

101. “The adventure of life is to learn. The purpose of life is to grow. The nature of life is to change. The challenge of life is to overcome. The essence of life is to care. The opportunity of like is to serve. The secret of life is to dare. The spice of life is to befriend. The beauty of life is to give.” —William Arthur Ward
102. “The average men consume. The wise create.” —Maxime Lagacé
103. “Take time like the river that never grows stale. Keep going and steady. No hurry, no rush.” —Rumi

104. “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform (or pause and reflect).” —Mark Twain
105. “To do two things at once is to do neither.” —Publilius Syrus
106. “I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint—and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.” —Oprah
107. “Battle not with monsters, lest you become one and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.” —Friedrich Nietzsche
108. “Question everything. Learn something. Answer nothing.” —Euripides
109. “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
110. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” —Mahatma Gandhi
111. “Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.” —Viktor E. Frankl
112. “True happiness… is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.” —Helen Keller
113. “One’s life has value so long as one attributes value to the life of others, by means of love, friendship, indignation, and compassion.” —Simone de Beauvoir
114. “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” —Dolly Parton
115. “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” —Pablo Picasso
116. “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” —Maya Angelou
117. “What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.” —Albert Pine
118. “You were put on this earth to achieve your greatest self, to live out your purpose, and to do it courageously.” —Steve Maraboli
119. “The purpose of life after all is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” —Eleanor Roosevelt

Quotes About Life and Love

Whether you’re recovering from a breakup or seeking that special someone, love is undoubtedly one of the greatest joys of life. Nonetheless, we all know how badly heartbreak and rejection can hurt. Here are some sweet, romantic, and sad quotes for love in all its forms.  

120. “When you give joy to other people, you get more joy in return. You should give a good thought to happiness that you can give out.” —Eleanor Roosevelt
121. “I love being married. It’s so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.” —Rita Rudner
122. “The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.” ―Ernest Hemingway
123. “Love someone because their soul inspires you, not because you’re interested in the relief from loneliness and companionship they can provide. Anybody can do that. Not just anybody can show you to yourself.” ―Brianna Wiest
124. “The only way love can last a lifetime is if it’s unconditional. The truth is this: love is not determined by the one being loved but rather by the one choosing to love.” —Stephen Kendrick

125. “People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that’s what everyone wants, but a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that’s holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention.” —Elizabeth Gilbert
126. “You deserve someone who would make you so happy that you forget that you had ever been sad; someone who would love you so much that you forget that you once wondered if you are worthy of love. You deserve someone who would make you realize that you deserve to be loved; but not just with any kind of love.” —Nica Rodriguez
127. “The story of human intimacy is one of constantly allowing ourselves to see those we love most deeply in a new, more fractured light. Look hard. Risk that.” —Cheryl Strayed
128. “You meet thousands of people and none of them really touch you. And then you meet one person and your life is changed… forever.” —Jake Gyllenhaal
129. “I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you.” -Paulo Coelho 
130. “I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I’ve led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me, and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect, I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who’s ever lived: I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough.” —Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook
131. “Love is not about possession, it’s all about appreciation.” —Chinese Proverb 
132. “To love at all is to be vulnerable.” —C.S. Lewis 
133. “There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.” —Friedrich Nietzsche 
134. “The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.” —Audrey Hepburn 
135. “Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.” —Antoine de Saint-Exupéry 
136. “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.” —Nat King Cole 
137. “Love is not a matter of counting the years, but making the years count.” —Michelle St. Amand 
138. “The best proof of love is trust.” —Joyce Brothers 
139. “We are most alive when we’re in love.” —John Updike 
140. “Love is something eternal; the aspect may change, but not the essence.” —Vincent Van Gogh 
141. “A loving heart is the truest wisdom.” —Charles Dickens 
142. “Love is like the wind, you can’t see it but you can feel it.” —Nicholas Sparks 
143. “The heart has its reasons which reason knows not.” —Blaise Pascal 
144. “Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit.” —Peter Ustinov 
145. “Love is when you meet someone who tells you something new about yourself.” —Andre Breton 
146. “In love, one and one are one.” —Jean-Paul Sartre 
147. “Love is the expansion of two natures in such fashion that each includes the other, each is enriched by the other.” —Felix Adler 
148. “Love is not about how much you say ‘I love you,’ but how much you prove that it’s true.” —Unknown
149. “Love is an untamed force. When we try to control it, it destroys us. When we try to imprison it, it enslaves us. When we try to understand it, it leaves us feeling lost and confused.” —Paulo Coelho
150. “Perhaps we are in this world to search for love, find it and lose it, again and again. With each love, we are reborn, and with each love that ends, we gather a new wound. I am covered with proud scars.” —Isabel Allende
151. “There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love.” —Washington Irving
152. “The heart is the toughest part of the body. Tenderness is in the hands.” —Carolyn Forché
153. “To be fully seen by somebody, then, and be loved anyhow – this is a human offering that can border on miraculous.” —Elizabeth Gilbert
154. “A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge.” —Thomas Carlyle
155. “Intimacy is the capacity to be rather weird with someone – and finding that that’s ok with them.” —Alain de Botton

Melancholy Quotes About Life

These quotes can help you feel a little less alone in life’s darkest moments. 

156. “We must understand that sadness is an ocean, and sometimes we drown, while other days we are forced to swim.” ―R.M. Drake
157. “Tears are words that need to be written.” ―Paulo Coelho
158. “Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not, and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad.” ―Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

159. “The walls we build around us to keep sadness out also keep out the joy.” —Jim Rohn
160. “Behind every sweet smile, there is a bitter sadness that no one can ever see and feel.” —Tupac Shakur
161. “Every human walks around with a certain kind of sadness. They may not wear it on their sleeves, but it’s there if you look deep.” —Taraji P. Henson
162. “The good times of today are the sad thoughts of tomorrow.” —Bob Marley
163. “It’s sad when someone you know becomes someone you knew.” —Henry Rollins
164. “I have learned now that while those who speak about one’s miseries usually hurt, those who keep silence hurt more.” ―S. Lewis
165. “Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form.” —Rumi
166. “Sometimes, life will kick you around, but sooner or later, you realize you’re not just a survivor. You’re a warrior, and you’re stronger than anything life throws your way.” —Brooke Davis
167. “The night is the hardest time to be alive and 4 am knows all my secrets.” —Poppy Z. Brite
168. “Sometimes even to live is an act of courage.” —Seneca
169. “Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it.” —J.K. Rowling
170. “The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” —Isaac Asimov
171. “The heart was made to be broken.” —Oscar Wilde
172. “There is a certain strength in being alone.” —Heather Duffy Stone
173. “Sometimes you laugh because you’ve got no more room for crying.” —Terry Pratchett
174. “Melancholy is the happiness of being sad.” —Victor Hugo
175. “The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.” —Kahlil Gibran
176. “Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” —Khalil Gibran
177. “Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” —Haruki Murakami
178. “Heavy hearts, like heavy clouds in the sky, are best relieved by the letting of a little water.” —Christopher Morley
179. “Sometimes our light goes out, but is blown again into instant flame by an encounter with another human being.” —Albert Schweitzer
180. “One thing you can’t hide — is when you’re crippled inside.” —John Lennon
181. “It is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.” —Alfred Lord Tennyson
182. “The soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone.” —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
183. “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” —Albert Camus

Spiritual Quotes About Life

Whether you prefer meditation, religion, or personal development, spirituality brings meaning and hope to the human experience. These quotes from spiritual leaders remind us of ways we can become better people and forge connections with something greater than ourselves. 

184. “Awakening is not changing who you are, but discarding who you are not.” —Deepak Chopra
185. “It does not matter how long you are spending on the earth, how much money you have gathered, or how much attention you have received. It is the amount of positive vibration you have radiated in life that matters.” —Amit Ray
186. “Let what comes come. Let what goes go. Find out what remains.” —Ramana Maharshi
187. “Spirituality is recognizing and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to each other by a power greater than all of us and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and compassion. Practicing spirituality brings a sense of perspective, meaning, and purpose to our lives.” —Brené Brown
188. “Nature has given us all the pieces required to achieve exceptional wellness and health, but has left it to us to put these pieces together.” —Diane McLaren
189. “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.” —Paulo Coelho
190. “You don’t know about real loss because it only occurs when you’ve loved something more than you love yourself. I doubt you’ve ever dared to love anybody that much.” —Robin Williams
191. “The key to finding happiness in this life is realizing that the only way to overcome is to transcend; to find happiness in the simple pleasures, to master the art of just being.”― Brianna Wiest

192. “When will you begin that long journey into yourself?” —Rumi
193. “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean, in a drop.” —Rumi
194. “The soul always knows what to do to heal itself. The challenge is to silence the mind.” —Caroline Myss
195. “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” —Socrates
196. “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” —Buddha
197. “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” —Buddha
198. “The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” —Carl Jung
199. “You have within you more love than you could ever understand.” —Rumi
200. “To understand everything is to forgive everything.” —Buddha
201. “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” —Rumi
202. “The only journey is the one within.” —Rainer Maria Rilke
203. “He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.” —Lao Tzu
204. “The real spiritual progress of the aspirant is measured by the extent to which he achieves inner tranquility.” —Swami Sivananda
205. “Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn, or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.” —Denis Waitley
206. “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” —Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
207. “Everything that is made beautiful and fair and lovely is made for the eye of one who sees.” —Rumi
208. “The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature.” —Joseph Campbell
209. “In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.” —Deepak Chopra
210. “What you seek is seeking you.” —Rumi
211. “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” —Dalai Lama

Funny Quotes About Life

We’ve all heard how laughter is medicine. Research shows that, even through trauma or tragedy, people who can find humor in their lives have better mental health outcomes and coping mechanisms than those who don’t. The quotes will hit your funny bone and a joyful twist to life lessons.

212. “Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.” —Jack Handey
213. Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow Internet to see who they really are.”—Will Ferrell
214. “Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot.” —Charlie Chaplin
215. “Never follow anyone else’s path. Unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path. Then, by all means, follow that path.”—Ellen DeGeneres
216. “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” —Dolly Parton
217. “I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.” — Lily Tomlin
218. “I find television very educational. Every time someone turns it on, I go in the other room and read a book.” —Groucho Marx
219. “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.” —Mark Twain
220. “I’m writing a book. I’ve got the page numbers done.” —Steven Wright
221. “I intend to live forever. So far, so good.” —Steven Wright
222. “My therapist says I have a preoccupation with vengeance. We’ll see about that.” —Stewart Francis
223. “I used to think I was indecisive, but now I’m not too sure.” —Unknown
224. “Doing nothing is hard, you never know when you’re done.” —Unknown
225. “I am an early bird and a night owl… so I am wise and I have worms.” —Michael Scott, The Office

226. “If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving definitely isn’t for you.” —Steven Wright
227. “I have a lot of growing up to do. I realized that the other day inside my fort.” —Zach Galifianakis
228. “If you think nobody cares if you’re alive, try missing a couple of car payments.” —Earl Wilson
229. “Life is like a sewer… what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.” —Tom Lehrer
230. “The only mystery in life is why the kamikaze pilots wore helmets.” —Al McGuire
231. “Age is of no importance unless you’re a cheese.” —Billie Burke
232. “I don’t believe in astrology; I’m a Sagittarius and we’re skeptical.” —Arthur C. Clarke
233. “My ability to remember song lyrics from the ’80s far exceeds my ability to remember why I walked into the kitchen.” —Unknown
234. “The best way to teach your kids about taxes is by eating 30 percent of their ice cream.” —Bill Murray

Cute Quotes About Life

Sometimes, you just need a little pick-me-up to jot down on a Post-it note and stick on your mirror. You can also use these cute quotes for greeting cards, social media posts, or wall art. 

235. “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” —George Bernard Shaw
236. “Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” —Winnie the Pooh
237.  “If you live to be a hundred, I hope I live to be a hundred minus one day so that I never have to live a day without you.” —Winnie the Pooh
238. “People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie the Pooh
239. “Life is a ride. Strap in, hang on, and keep your eyes open.” —Michael J. Fox
240. “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” —Dr. Seuss

241. “You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way!” ―Dr. Seuss
242. “If ‘Plan A’ didn’t work, the alphabet has 25 more letters!” —Unknown
243. “You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching. Love like you’ll never be hurt. Sing like there’s nobody listening. And live like it’s heaven on earth.” —William W. Purkey 
244. “Here is a test to find out whether your mission in life is complete. If you’re alive, it isn’t.” —Richard Bach
245. “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about dancing in the rain.” —Vivian Greene
246. “Life is like an ice cream. Enjoy it before it melts.” —Unknown
247. “If you love someone, let them go. If they come back with coffee it was meant to be.” —Unknown 

Movie Quotes About Life

Screenwriters have brought forth some profound reflections on life expressed through the voices of actors and actresses. These excerpts from the famous movie characters are sure to make you ponder. 

248. “Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” —Forrest Gump
249. “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” —The Godfather Part II
250. “Great men are not born great, they grow great.” —Mario Puzo, The Godfather
251. “Just because someone stumbles and loses their path doesn’t mean they’re lost forever.” —Professor X, X-Men
252. “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” —Ferris Bueller
253. “Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.” —Dead Poets Society
254. “Just keep swimming” —Finding Nemo
255. “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” —Gone With the Wind
256. “My mother always used to say: The older you get, the better you get, unless you’re a banana.” —Rose (Betty White), The Golden Girls
257. “Why should I kill myself worrying when I’ll end up just as dead?” —The Bicycle Thieves

258. “Any fool can be happy. It takes a man with real heart to make beauty out of the stuff that makes us weep.” —Clive Barker, Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War
259. “Do, or do not. There is no ‘try’.” —Yoda, Star Wars
260. “A wise man can learn more from his enemies than a fool from his friends.” —Niki Lauda, Rush
261. “Every man dies, but not every man really lives.” —William Wallace, Braveheart 
262. “Nobody is gonna hit as hard as life, but it ain’t how hard you can hit. It’s how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. It’s how much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done.” —Rocky Balboa, Rocky
263. “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” – Andy Dufresne, The Shawshank Redemption
264. “There is some good in this world, and it’s worth fighting for.” – Samwise Gamgee, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
265. “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
266. “After a while, you learn to ignore the names people call you and just trust who you are.” – Shrek, Shrek
267. “Why do we fall, sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up.” – Alfred, Batman Begins
268. “No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.” – John Keating, Dead Poets Society
269. “You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.” – Eames, Inception
270. “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
271. “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” – Chief Brody, Jaws
272. “With great power comes great responsibility.” – Uncle Ben, Spider-Man
273. “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke (quoted in The Boondock Saints)

Disney Quotes About Life

Walt Disney is famous for its classic films that have captivated hearts for nearly a century. While their movies were initially aimed at children, they still pack a philosophical punch in these quotes about life. 

274. “Even miracles take a little time.” —Fairy Godmother, Cinderella
275. “The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.” —The Emperor, Mulan
276. “Venture outside your comfort zone. The rewards are worth it.” —Rapunzel
277. “The very things that hold you down are going to lift you up.” —Timothy Mouse, The Hunchback of Notre Dame
278. “The things that make me different are the things that make me.” —Piglet, Winnie the Pooh
279. “You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” —Winnie the Pooh
280. “If you don’t know where you want to go, then it doesn’t matter which path you take.” —The Cheshire Cat, Alice in Wonderland
281. “Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.” —Rafiki, The Lion King
282. “Remember you’re the one who can fill the world with sunshine.” —Snow White
283. “To infinity and beyond!” – Buzz Lightyear, Toy Story
284. “Remember, you’re the one who can fill the world with sunshine.” – Snow White, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
285. “All it takes is faith, trust, and a little bit of pixie dust.” – Peter Pan, Peter Pan
286. “Today is a good day to try.” – Quasimodo, The Hunchback of Notre Dame
287. “Always let your conscience be your guide.” – Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio
288. “If you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true.” – Cinderella, Cinderella
289. “A true hero isn’t measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart.” – Zeus, Hercules
290. “Sometimes the right path is not the easiest one.” – Grandmother Willow, Pocahontas
291. “Our fate lives within us; you only have to be brave enough to see it.” – Merida, Brave
292. “You control your destiny — you don’t need magic to do it. And there are no magical shortcuts to solving your problems.” – Merida, Brave
293. “When you find out who you are, you find out what you need.” – Mama Odie, The Princess and the Frog
294. “The only thing predictable about life is its unpredictability.” – Remy, Ratatouille
295. “You must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul.” – Gusteau, Ratatouille
296. “Admit defeat, and defeat will surely admit you into permanent custody.” – Beret Girl, An Extremely Goofy Movie
297. “The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem.” – Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean
298. “Life’s not a spectator sport. If watchin’ is all you’re gonna do, then you’re gonna watch your life go by without ya.” – Laverne, The Hunchback of Notre Dame
299. “Believe in yourself and there will come a day when others will have no choice but to believe with you.” – Mufasa, The Lion King
300. “The most important thing a girl wears is her confidence.” – Cinderella, Cinderella

How to Use Life Quotes for Daily Inspiration 

You can use these quotes about life as snippets of inspiration to keep you going through life’s peaks and valleys. Here are a few ways to incorporate quotes into your daily routine: 

• Daily Reminders: Jot down a quote on a sticky note and put it on your mirror or in your car where you can see it daily. 
• Wall Art: Print out your favorite quotes or use a design service like Canva to create attractive posters for decorating your home. 
• Social Media: Paste a quote into your story on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok to inspire people with a thought for the day. You can also use inspirational quotes in photo captions (tag the author if they have an account!)
• Thoughtful Messages: An inspirational quote is the perfect morning motivational text to your partner or a comforting message to your friend who is going through a tough time. You can always add something like “saw this and thought of you.” 
• Meeting Starter: A life or work quote is a great way to start work meetings on a positive note. Add them to the slideshow’s beginning or write on a whiteboard to help inspire your team. 
• Positive Affirmations: Don’t forget to speak the quotes aloud. Let the words roll around in your mouth. Taste their essence and feel their power. After all, words are things. They become our thoughts, which become our beliefs, which become our actions. 

If you’re looking for more ways to incorporate positive affirmations and daily inspiration into your life, here are 120 Positive Daily Affirmations for Happiness (w/ Science!)